Historical Contractor Stamps Salvaged In Normal Heights

Undergrounding of the utilities along Meade Avenue from I-805 to 44th Street began in April 2005 as part of the City's ongoing utility undergrounding program. Approximately $4 million dollars from the City's Surcharge Fund were allocated in 2003 for the project, and the last above-ground line was disconnected and the last utility pole removed last month.

Seventeen historical stamps — some nearly 100 years old bearing the names of the contractors who originally poured and scored the sidewalks along Meade Avenue in Normal Heights — were identified before the project began. Of these, three were too worn and cracked to be saved; the others remained in place or were saw-cut and relocated as close as possible to their original locations. All sidewalk panels that had to be replaced were scored with one of the three historical scoring patterns unique to Normal Heights.

Need more information about you. Are you a student from SDSU, by any chance? Get requests from lots of future city planners who want info. As a basic guide, try the Journal of San Diego History, Volume 52, Winter/Spring 2006, Numbers 1 and 2, p. 18-43. Good luck with your research.

I have a M.A. in History and I am currently enrolled in the UCSD Extension course "Historic Preservation Planning". I am also a resident of Normal Heights. I am interested in historic buildings in Normal Heights and I would really appreciate any help you could offer. I have read your article in the Journal of San Diego History and it has already been a huge help. My email address is justinvcastells@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for your time and your help!

After the Normal Heights fire 25 years ago, the City was forced to install an additional water main so the fire trucks would not run out of water again. A little research in the City archives might show how other Mission Valley rim-communities equally at risk still have a single water main. This would seem a higher priority than subsidizing SDG&E for major reductions in their maintenance and liability costs on the basis of aesthetics.

The historical stamps were cut out and put back in accordance with a City policy that has been in effect for approximately 10 years. The subcontractor (Koch-Armstrong), who worked for the prime contractor, is one of the best at performing this type of work. If you can verify the "major reductions in their (SDG & E's) maintenance and liability costs," I'd love to see your statistics and dollar amounts.